Glass-melting furnace.



No. 787,553. PATBNTED APR. 18,1905.

E. BAUDOUX.

GLASS MELTING FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 17,1904.

Patented April 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE BAUDOUX, OF GENAPPE, BELGIUM.

GLASS-MELTING FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,553, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed October 17, 1904:. Serial No. 228,904.

This invention relates to improvements in glass-melting furnaces, and has particular reference to a system of monolithic tanks of smaller size than the tanks of furnaces called tank-furnaces, which are chiefly used for the manufacture of window-glass; and it also relates to the arrangement of several of these monolithic tanks in one and the same furnace specially built for the purpose.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the furnace and of the monolithic tanks. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal section of the furnace and of the monolithic tanks. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the furnace and of one monolithic tank in vertical plane.

In Fig. 1, a is a compartment Where the melting takes place; 6, the compartment in which the working takes place. ternately gas-inlet and flame-outlet. cl is the wall separating the furnace into melting-compartment and Working compartment and is provided with openings enabling monolithic tanks to be passed through. The creation by means of this wall of a melting-compartment and of a working compartment places eachmonolithic tank into working conditions identical with those of tank-furnaces employed in the works manufacturing window-glass. e f g are respectively melting, refining, and working chambers of the monolithic tanks. These chambers are-produced by means of partitions in the monolithic tanks themselves. The melting and refining chambers occupy the so-called melting-compartment of the furnace, whereas the last chamber occupies c c are al' its working compartment. it represents the openings through which the monolithic tanks are filled.

The advantages of the invention are as follows: Continuous melting of glass in large tanks constitutes a great step in advance. It has not, however, been possible up to now to use tank-furnaces except for the manufacture of large quantities of uniform products. In fact, the existing systems require the construction of tanks of large sizes, and one and the same tank cannot under any circumstances produce more than one kind of article. The furnace according to this invention has, however, made possible the following: continuous production in small tanks of small quantities of one and the same product and arrangement of several small tanksin one and the same furnace of special construction, enabling the Working to be carried on as economically as in large tank-furnaces. The sizes of each tank being reduced, it is advantageous no longer to make the tank, as usual, from refractory bricks arranged side by side, but to make monolithic tanks, which, being in one piece, are much stronger than those hitherto used. Each monolithic tank is divided by transverse partitions, acting like floating partitions, into three compartments, reserved,.respectively, for melting, refining, and working. Owing to the construction of a wall dividing the furnace into combustion or melting compartment and a working compartment, the monolithic tanks are in the same working conditions as those of large tankfurnaces.

The furnace is constructed in such way that gases are admitted. into the melting-compartment, whereby .regular working is insured.

Having. now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is l. A glass-melting furnace comprising two chambers, a vertical partition-wall separating said chambers and having openings at the bottom, a plurality of tanks inserted through the openings of the partition-wall, and a plurality of vertical partitions open at the bottom partment and a Working compartment, the Working compartment of each tank being located in the working chamber of the furnace and the melting-compartment and refiningcompartment of each tank being located in the combustion-chamber of the furnace.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention 1 have signed my name, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 25th day of August, 1904:.

EUGENE BAUDOUX.

Witnesses:

B. DE SUAET. GREGORY PHELAN. 

